it was in a way a slightly strange choice to start remixing Queen's albums in Atmos (if that's what this is, the start of a remixing programme, i mean) as it's such a basic original recording but it feels like they've eeked some cool stuff out of the tapes and if it is indeed the start of a series (we know it seldom usually is with these things!
) then it's a good place to start and i can see why the band felt like the album needed some sprucing up in a way, maybe.
there's definitely been some jiggery-pokery going on, drums sound so modern it's almost as if they've been re-recorded but they have nice oomph so they're not like crisp packets now!
the basic Atmos layout remains the same throughout, the bulk of the track (rhythm section and Freddie's Vocals) are mostly in the Front Left and Right.
there's no isolated vocals hard in the Centre that i could detect (although i wasn't exactly expecting them to be mixed that way i was still disappointed, if that makes any sense at all.!?
) and Freddie's vocal is often sent reverbed to other channels.
backing vocals are often in the Rears/Surround Backs and a lot of lovely heroic guitar work pops up and pans about the Sides/Rears/Surround Backs to great effect!
️
the "
i just get two steps nearer to my grave" refrain in "
Keep Yourself Alive" pops up behind you from the Surround Backs for instance, which is rather fun!
the tracks with the most use of the Heights are i would say "
My Fairy King" (guitar sweeps suitably majestically from above!) and "
Jesus" (refrain vocals blast out from on high!) however, most tracks barely do anything interesting or much at all with the Heights apart from muted Freddie vocals (tantalisingly isolated.. if they weren't so grungey thanks to Atmos streaming compression i may just listen to them in isolation for fits and giggles
).
"Modern Times Rock n Roll" has Roger's vocal blasting out up there at full pelt everyw now and again in the track, which is definitely a cool move.
i'm out for the rest of the day now but will revisit the mix over the weekend.
right now, after one proper full listen to the mix in aggregate (in 7.1.4) and a 2nd bitty listen picking bits of the mix apart,
i'd say i'm happy enough with the Surround-y-ness of it, by and large.
hopefully they tackle Queen II next
that could benefit from a remix more than this one tbh, also it's one of my all-time favourite albums by anyone and easily in my Queen Top 5 LPs so keeping everything crossed for that and pleased as Punch for what we have now